Simple Stress Relief for Busy Development Directors

Have you ever been so stressed that you can’t get any work done? It’s a refrain I hear from development directors all the time. It’s like overload paralysis. The more work you have, the less you get done.

I know how that feels. This week is especially busy with end of school activities, graduations, kids funning in and out, etc.

A few years back when I originally wrote on this topic, I found myself pacing in the midst of a huge pile of boxes and bubble wrap as we prepared to move. I considered skipping writing my weekly post, but decided that a time-out from packing would be a better use of my time than wandering around aimlessly amid the mess.

Best Ways for Development Directors to Destress

As you may know, I’m a strong believer in goals, lists, positive thinking, and scheduled breaks! Spinning your wheels is never a good strategy.

Assess Your Top Priorities

Start by making a list of short term and long term projects and tasks. See if there are any you can delegate or eliminate. Which items on the list are urgent and which are important? If they all seem like top priorities, recruit your boss to help assess your list and make decisions. Let them know you are feeling overwhelmed and in need of support.

Once you’ve gleaned and prioritized your list, hopefully the days and weeks ahead seem brighter and more manageable.

Focus on the Bigger Opportunities

Make sure you’re not overworking yourself needlessly. When in doubt, prioritize your fundraising by dollar amount and likelihood.

For example, let’s say your choice is to spend several days writing a grant for $50K, but it’s a long shot. Or spending time cultivating donors who have the potential to give 5 and 6 figure gifts. They are currently lower level donors, but you’ve never spent any real time trying to get to know them because you’re so busy writing grants. Will your boss let this grant “opportunity” go by the wayside or will they insist you write it? There’s an opportunity cost to everything.

Destressing with Loved Ones

At the end of every school year, due to all the stress from finals and year-end chaos, I take my kids on an impromptu outing. Last week on the night before my daughter’s chemistry final, we went out for pizza and ice cream. Could she have stayed home and studied? Sure. But the stress relief outweighed the benefits of studying the night before the final.

Another example — a few years back, I took my kids on a surprise trip to the movies during the last week of school. We went to see Inside Out. My favorite line from the move is when “Joy” tells “Sadness” to stay positive. And Sadness responds by saying, “Okay, I’m positive we’re going to die.”

Quick Breaks for Nonprofit Leaders

If you can’t take a break (like going to the movies) take a shorter break. Here are suggestions for quick, change your mood and your attitude, breaks.

1. Impromptu dance party!

During my keynote speech, “Happiness, Habits, and Major Gift Fundraising,” I blast the song Happy by Pharrell Williams for one minute, and ask everyone to get up and dance. If you love to sing and dance, this can immediately lift your mood. Try it and see!

2. Watch a video that features babies or puppies.

Everyone loves babies and puppies. There are millions of adorable videos on YouTube to instantly lift your spirits and bring a smile to your face. (Just don’t get stuck surfing YouTube or the Internet for more than five minutes — set a timer if you need one.)

3. Take a walk.

There’s nothing like a quick walk around the block to clear your head and your heart. Take a minute to check out the clouds and smell the flowers.

Longer Breaks for Nonprofit Leaders

If a quick break isn’t enough to take the edge off, it might be time for a longer break.

Plan your time off to include periodic half days, full days, and even a full week a few times per year. Sometimes its enough to turn a weekend into a 3-day weekend, but sometimes a real, multi-day brain-break is what the doctor ordered. Try disconnecting for a few days if you can.

It’s much more cost effective for a nonprofit to keep a development director than lose one to stress and burnout. Work with your boss to ensure your workload is reasonable and manageable. Will there be stressful times? Yes! But they should be balanced out with breaks — short and long — plus a plan for the future.

How do you take a break and recharge your batteries? Let me know in the comments below.